The Barnes founder, Dr. Albert C. Barnes believed that art has the capacity to transform lives, and that everyone–not just the elite–should have the opportunity to learn about art.
On July 27 (10am PT/1pm ET) we are excited to welcome Will Cary, Chief Operating Officer of the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, for Gather's next virtual convening to talk about how museums–not just art museums–can leverage the possibilities of online learning to increase both revenue and access. Everyone is welcome!
Register here
Since first pivoting its century of experience in art education to the online world in April, 2020, the Barnes has enrolled more than 8,000 students from 43 states and 8 countries in its online classes, and generated more than $1.2 million in new revenue. At the same time, it has also quadrupled the number of need-based scholarships it has given, increasing access to art education both by geographical location and economic status. As Will has written, "online education has been the perfect solution to a question that the entire museum field is grappling with: How do we significantly scale our programmatic service online in a way that fulfills our mission while being financially sustainable?"
Using the Barnes story as a starting point, we'll talk with Will about how museums of all sizes and all types might think about the opportunities that online programs present to increase both revenue and access.
We will also discuss the innovative technology that the Barnes team has developed–its Visual Experience Platform (VXP); the unique assets that museums have that other online learning providers don't and how to leverage that; and how the Barnes is building a consortium of museums to partner on a large scale education project using technology designed specifically for that purpose.
Most importantly, we'll engage the questions that participants bring to the session, and we hope you can join us. Everyone is welcome, and if you're unable to join us live, all registrants will have access to the recording shortly after the program.
About Will Cary
Will Cary is Chief Operating Officer of the Barnes Foundations and oversees earned revenue and operations functions, as well as those related to select strategic initiatives, including the forthcoming Calder Gardens. In addition, he plays a leadership role in the measurement and execution of the organization's Strategic Plan. He holds a BA in art history and economics from Williams College and is a graduate of the Museum Leadership Institute.
Catch-up with Gather's Spring Convenings!
You can access recordings of our spring convening series on Gather's community site. In April we discussed audiences and personalization with Adam Rozan. In May we discussed learned more about how to better understand and serve adults over 60 with Stanford's Susan Golden. Stanford Social psychologist Geoff Cohen also joined us in May to talk about museums and belonging. And Jay Mollica, Director of Digital Engagement at Pérez Art Museum Miami shared insights into museums and digital transformation in June.
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Robert Urstein PhD
Co-Founder, Gather Learning
San Francisco CA
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